Gundam Wing: After Era A Cry for Stars to Fall
by Tenkage-chan
Summary: It's been over a century since the incidents of Endless Waltz. Times have changed man is evolving into a psionicallyenhanced being, and technology steadily advances with him. In this new world, a mockery of the past comes forth to create chaos, and the de


Legal Junk

This is a fan fiction about Gundam Wing. It takes place one hundred years or so after _Endless Waltz_, and has little to do with the original characters. Gundam Wing and its characters are copyrighted by Sunrise, Bandai, and a bunch of other people who are its respectable owners. This is only an innocent fan fiction story, with some of my own ideas. Any Mobile Suits and/or characters/people mentioned in this are only used in a historical reference (with the exception of the Sandrock II). Pretty much everything here is my own original idea (or at least I hope it is, I don't think anybody has thought of my characters or Gundams before), so, if anybody from one of these places comes by and sees this, please don't have me arrested, I don't mean any harm or offense. Any relation of the characters in this story to anyone else is purely coincidental (I've always wanted to say that! grin ), same goes for any machines and such.

Okay, I'd say that's that. So, on with the party!

_PART I; A Cry for Stars to Fall_

The age of Queen Relena has passed. Twenty-four years after Relena Peacecraft's death at the age of eighty-three, the Colonial Senate, which she established almost thirty years before her death, has been reduced to a squabbling mass of delegates. Quarrels over territories and trade rights began surfacing old rivalries, true decisions were no longer made. However, most of Relena's teachings still remain. Few colonies have any real military power beyond a small defense unit, which never sees any real action, beyond that in simulators. Mobile dolls are mostly forgotten, and are now used only in mobile Suit tests.

In space, things have been quite different. Decades before, most military research was stopped, or at least slowed, with the birth of psionics, humans with mental abilities far beyond the norm, with the power to enhance their physical abilities as well. Capable of things such as telepathy and psycokenesis. This research has been used to improve the piloting controls of Mobile Suits, and to develop superior pilots, but this only continues at the lunar base, which was rebuilt and restored to full operations. Most of this knowledge doesn't leave the lunar surface.

The monument to Relena Peacecraft and the Gundam pilots who saved the Earth so long ago, which was placed outside the building that held the Colonial Senate, has become rusted, as if those who swore to uphold their ideals have forgotten about their very founders. The leaders of the colonies have become lazy, complacent, and overconfident in their own power. As they fight with each more and more, the senators of the colonies are oblivious to any threats that might be approaching. Soon, however, they will learn of their grave errors…

_Southern Arabia -_

"Starting up the Mobile Suit's control system. Operations, check, Controls, check. Thruster output, check…"

He listened to the engineers droll over the Mobile Suit's capabilities. So far, it was a complete match, in every way, for the original. Even the twin gundaniam shotels that it had wielded had been reforged, and were no less deadly than the ones that had been made almost one hundred years before.

"Roger, all systems check out. Everything looks good, Senator Winner!"

Jahkal Renada Winner smiled at the engineer on top of the MS, and nodded approvingly. Beside him, his fourteen-year-old son looked on in awe.

"Well, what do you think, Kahna?" he asked the boy softly, "It's an exact replica of the original Sandrock Gundam. It pilots just as your great-grandfather used to fly it."

"It's amazing, father!" Young Kahna remarked enthusiastically, but then added in a softer tone of voice, "But, do you think that great-grandfather Quatre would approve? After all, it was his idea that the original Gundams should be destroyed."

Jahkal smiled down at his gentle-hearted son. Kahna was the image of his great-grandfather, even his mannerisms were the same. Many people, including Jahkal's oldest and closest advisor, believed that the boy was a reincarnation of Quatre Raberba Winner.

"Don't worry, Kahna." He said reassuringly, "Even though it can be used in military situations, the Sandrock II is strictly ornamental. As an exact replica of the original, it'll be a reminder to our people, and to others, of our proud heritage. It's a symbol of what the world once went through, in order to achieve peace."

Kahna turned his pale blue eyes to the MS. The silver-white gleam of its armor shivered with a life of its own, it was almost alive, as if it had responded to his father's words.

"A symbol … of what we have done…" he murmured softly.

Jahkal rested a hand on his young son's shoulder. "Well, do you want to test it out?"

Kahna looked up at his father in surprise. "Huh? You mean, I can?"

Jahkal laughed. "You may only be fourteen, Kahna, but you're already a talented Mobile Suit pilot. I think that it'll be good for you to get a feel for the Sandrock II. Not only that, but it will give you an idea of how your great-grandfather lived."

As soon as he slid into the pilot's seat, Kahna felt as if he had been transported. Right now, the screens were all dark. There was something that was making his stomach turn somersaults, but he couldn't place it as either nervousness or excitement. Kahna had flown other Mobile Suits before, of course all the standard desert models that had been used by Quatre and his followers so many decades before, but also Leos, Aries, even a Taurus once, but nothing like this.

He secured his safety straps, and pulled down his sand goggles, just as his great-grandfather used to do, almost one hundred years before. The hatch to the cockpit sealed with a hiss, Kahna gripped tightly to the controls. The screens came to life with a pale light, illuminating the darkness of the cockpit. Kahna scanned all the screens, running a routine systems check.

Taking a breath to steady himself, Kahna wiped the sweat on his palms onto his slacks, then gripped the controls. "Here goes."

The Mobile Suit stepped back from the docking platform, people scrambling away from the giant feet, so as not to get stomped. Kahna was careful to avoid the people, as he turned the Mobile Suit towards the giant doors that were opening, the doors that led to the testing ground. He couldn't explain it, but there was something about the MS that just felt … natural. Kahna smiled to himself, it was only a small smile, though. Somehow, it almost felt as if his great-grandfather was there with him.

"Has he reached the test field yet?" Jahkal asked as soon as he entered the control tower.

"He's arrived just now, sir. We'll begin the tests as soon as everything is ready."

"Good." Jahkal approached the view screens from behind one of the operators. He could see the Sandrock II from multiple angles, standing just on the edge of the battlements. Jahkal smiled slightly, he always felt a sense of pride when his son flew a Mobile Suit, even more so now, while he was piloting the Sandrock II. It looked for all the world like he was his great-grandfather Quatre, ready to take on OZ.

"Master Kahna, we are ready to begin with the test. As soon as you are prepared, we can begin."

"Roger." Kahna's voice crackled over the radio, "I'm ready now, you can start."

"Did you load paint rounds into the vulcans and machine cannon?" Jahkal quickly interrupted, not wanting to cause any serious damage to the surrounding area.

"Yes sir, the engineers were certain to do that as soon as the system was completed."

"Alright, continue."

"Issuing commands to Mobile Doll units … received. Master Kahna, the objective of this test will be to gauge the Sandrock II's ability and speed in battle. All Mobile Dolls have been loaded with blanks and dud missiles. Even though they won't cause any real damage, they'll cause a realistic explosion and shockwave, so you'll feel it if your hit. Not only that, but the Mobile Suit's simulator should inform of any damage that is interpreted or could be caused, so the hit areas will shut off, as if really damaged."

"Roger that."

"Initiating test sequence." The control operators typed in a few commands, and Jahkal turned his eyes to the screens. Mobile Doll Leo and Aries units began appearing on the test grid. The Leos surrounded the Sandrock from its left flank, and the MS brought up its shield in defense, even though the bullets were blanks, they still had a realistic enough effect. The Sandrock II crouched low, Jahkal began wondering what his son had planned for his next move.

With surprising speed, the Gundam rocketed forward, thrusters screaming. Faster than should've been possible, the twin shotels on the Sandrock II's back were in its hands, the sunlight casting a reddish gleam on the blades, giving them a bloody sheen. The great blade swung across, cleaving two Leos apart like a surgical knife to paper dolls. Everyone in the control tower reeled with shock, even as a remake, the Gundam's power was incredible.

Kahna opened attack with the twin vulcans, the yellow and orange colored paint inside the bullets exploding across multiple Mobile Suits, rendering them inert. Aries swept down from above, firing their rounds upon the Sandrock II. The shield was swung up overhead, providing defense as the Gundam leaped up into the air, the shotels gleaming dangerously. Two quick swipes across, and the Aries dispersed, the Sandrock II landing in a crouch. Several Aries had a glowing red line across their torsos, even straight down their centers. As they flew off to regroup, they split into two even parts, as straight as the line that Kahna had cut through them.

The power of the Sandrock II was awesome, but Jahkal knew that it wasn't as powerful as some of the other Gundams that had once existed, such as the Deathscythe and the Deathscythe HELL. There had also been the other Gundams, such as the Heavyarms, and the Shenlong, both of which had been modified and made stronger. Even so, Jahkal had no intention of remaking any other Gundams beyond the Sandrock. As he had told his son, he intended it only to be used as a reminder to the people, and to the rest of the world, of what had once been. He had only condoned this test at the insistence of his advisors, who believed that, with the current state of the Senate, a stronger defense of the military was required. Jahkal had wanted the replica to be exact, and his closest advisors agreed that an operational Gundam in the colony might be the best thing, so Jahkal had agreed to make the Sandrock II a complete replica of the original, down to its functions. That was the reason that this test had been necessary, to see if it would work in the same manner.

"Over sixty percent of the test units have been destroyed! Amazing, such power! To think that this is what the original Gundam pilots did …"

"Actually, the original pilots were much better." Jahkal added calmly. The control operator looked up at him in surprise. "I'd imagine that, by now, my grandfather Quatre probably would've taken out nearly all the Mobile Doll units."

The operator seemed a little speechless at Jahkal's remark. "Stay focused, now." He chided, "I don't want any accidents happening."

"Oh, uh, right, sir!"

"Senator Winner!" one of the operators approached him from the left, "Sir, we have Supreme Chancellor Darcel of the Senate on hold, he's demanding to speak with you, he says it's urgent."

"Oh, very well. Continue with the test, this shouldn't take long. Probably one of the neighboring colonies accusing us of military build up, again." Jahkal took the microphone from the operator, and walked toward the screen he gestured at. The Supreme Chancellor's face looked extremely distraught.

"What is it Malcolm, I'm in the middle of the Sandrock II's field test, you know." Jahkal put in easily. Even so, the expression on Chancellor Malcolm Darcel's face was disturbing.

"I'm sorry, Jahkal, but this couldn't wait." His voice was heavy and shaking. "Less than a day ago, we lost contact with the American colonies. I sent out Aries troops to investigate, as is the standard procedure."

"And? What happened?"

"The Aries were all destroyed."

Jahkal fell back, slightly aghast. "What?" his voice was soft.

"I'm sending over some of the film footage we received before they were destroyed-"

The screen fluttered for a few seconds, then changed. Jahkal could hear the voices of the Aries pilots as they flew over the expanse of a blue ocean, land was just within their sight.

_"This is Aries team commander, we are now approaching the East Coast of North America, we should be arriving shortly."_

_"Roger that, blue leader. Keep us informed."_

_"I'm … I'm picking something up on my scanners, sir."_

_"What is it?"_

_"It appears to be a group of Mobile Suits, Aries, maybe. There's ten, maybe fifteen in all."_

"_That's not all that many. Maybe it was just a down transmitter, or something, and they're sending out troops to ask for parts?"_

_"I doubt it. A colony as big as the Northern Americas, and they can't find the parts for a transmitter? Keep your guard up, I've got a bad feeling about this."_

_"Wha- Sir! Two of the Aries just vanished from the radar!"_

_"What!"_

_"Another three just disappeared, and another, another!"_

_"Damnit! What the hell is going on!"_

_"Sir, we're receiving a close-range transmission from the leader of the approaching Mobile Suits!"_

_"Patch it through!"_

_The voice that came through was scratchy, and Jahkal could make out only a few words, but it was all he needed to hear._

_"The Americas … taken … werful enemie … All communications los … retreat! Retreat! Inform the SenaaaaAAGGHHHH!"_

_"Sir, the communications with the leader was just severed! His Mobile Suit must've been wiped out!"_

_"What the hell is happening out there? Can't we get any readings?"_

_"Sir, I've lost all Aries signals, they were all destroyed! It's like-like something just annihilated them all out of nowhere!"_

_"What killed them, I want to know, now!"_

_"I don't know, I can't get any readings on the scanners!"_

_"Commander! On the coastline!-"_

Jahkal had seen them already, small at first, tiny specs reflecting the light of the morning sun. As they approached, their forms became more apparent. They were gray and silver, and looked something like the Virgo models that had been shut down so many decades ago. The heads were different than the ones on a Virgo, however, Jahkal presumed that it must be to hide their signals on radar.

Mobile Suits.

_"What the hell- Are those Virgo models!"_

_"Do you think their Mobile Dolls?"_

_"Must be, because all Virgo Mobile Suits were made to be Mobile Dolls!"_

_"Yeah, but- Who would activate them!"_

_"I don't know, but get ready, because here they come! Keep formation, we can fight these things! They're nothing more than puppets, and they're predictable!"_

The Virgos came in at insane speeds, forcing the Aries into immediate defense. They weren't taking any known or recorded formation, and seemed to be acting on the random thought of a human pilot. It didn't make sense.

_"We can't hold out!"_

_"Just hold on! Hold on, we can get out of this!"_

_"I can't fight any longer! Errraaauughhh-"_

_"Wilkins! Wilkins, respond! Resp-"_

_"Sir! Wilkins and Dumas have both been lost! All units have suffered heavy- Nooooo!"_

_"Damnit! Nearly everyone's gone! This is a class A emergency! Inform the Senate! Infor-"_

The screen returned to static, indicating the group leader's death. Jahkal couldn't move, his hands shook, his palms were damp with sweat. He couldn't believe it, such a powerful enemy had taken complete control of the Northern Americas in such a short time, as to completely block off all communications.

"They … they lasted less than a few minutes …" he whispered in shock. Supreme Chancellor Darcel came back onto the screen, his eyes closed, and sweat was beaded on his forehead. "I've called an emergency meeting on the Senate. Be in Moscow by tomorrow, if you can. I suggest you leave immediately."

The screen went dark, and Jahkal was left with only his thoughts of fear and disbelief.

"Senator Jahkal … Senator … Master Kahna has completed the test."

Jahkal stood slowly, the operator was confused, not knowing what to do. He didn't know what the Supreme Chancellor had said to senator Winner, but it must have affected him.

"Senator?"

"Tell my son to return the Sandrock II to the docking bay, and have my jet prepared for immediate departure, for Russia."

"Senator, has something happened?"

"… Nothing that concerns you. The Supreme Chancellor has suddenly called a meeting of the Senate, that's all …"

"I don't understand, father. Why must you go to Moscow so suddenly?" Kahna had been at his father's heels like a shadow since he had been ordered to return from the test in the Sandrock II. He was dogging him now, all the way across the airfield to his father's plane, he could hear the engines firing up. This sudden meeting of the Senate, it was just too auspicious. There was something about it that he didn't like.

"I've told you Kahna, Supreme Chancellor Darcel has ordered an emergency meeting, and all Senators must attend, I have no choice!" Jahkal, it seemed, was avoiding something.

"Then why can't I go with you? You've always let me come before, if I wanted."

"I'm truly sorry, Kahna, but this time I just can't." Jahkal came to the steps of his aircraft, and started to ascend. He paused halfway up the staircase, and looked at his son. Kahna could see the sadness in his father's eyes, but there was something else there as well, something he couldn't place …

"Listen to me, Kahna!" Jahkal shouted over the roar of the engines, "I need you to stay here, and watch after everything for me! If I'm right about this meeting, son, then you'll be needed here, more than at the Senate!"

Jahkal clambered aboard the jet, and the door sealed behind him. Kahna and the others around him scrambled out of the way, as the stairs were pulled away from the jet. Its engine screamed, and it took off, leaving Kahna behind with his realization.

"Fear." He whispered to himself, "He was afraid, but … Why would father be afraid … about a meeting?" In the pit of his stomach, Kahna felt the beginnings of a dreadful premonition …

"This meeting of the Colonial Senate has been called to order." Supreme Chancellor Malcolm Darcel pounded his gavel onto the old oak table, signifying the start of the meeting and asking for silence. "As you all know by the footage I sent to you, the colonies in the Americas have been conquered by some unknown enemy, and we have every reason to believe that they may be headed in this direction shortly. I believe that it is time we united the colonies, and take defensive measures against-"

"Supreme Chancellor!"

Jahkal rolled his eyes as the Senator of the Mediterranean stood to speak. Senator Vitto was an overweight, over-bearing middle-aged man, interested only in how much he could keep in his accounts. Jahkal despised him for being such a blind coward, but now was not the time for this fool's antics!

"I believe I speak for nearly all my fellow Senators when I say that we highly doubt that it was any kind of unknown enemy who attacked."

"If not that, then what do you suppose it is, Vitto?" Chancellor Malcolm snapped irritably.

"I believe that we are being lured into a ploy by the forces of the Americas, for us to believe that some secret enemy is attacking, when it is really they who are trying to overthrow the power of the Senate!" Vitto received a hardy round of applause, and "Here-here"'s, and sat with a supremely smug look on his face.

"Unfortunately, Senator Vitto, it's not that simple!" the Supreme Chancellor cut in sharply. "You all saw those Virgo Mobile Suits, just as I did! We know that something about the new design of the heads allows them to move undetected by radar or sonar, and we all know that military research hasn't been conducted for the last seventy years!"

"What about the research in space?"

"Yes! What about the space colonies, and the lunar base? How much do we really know about what's going on with them? After all, weren't all the last remaining Virgo models all at the L2 colony? How do we know that the space colonies haven't been collaborating with the Americas? Or, perhaps acting on their own!"

"Are you suggesting that the people of space have betrayed the Senate?" Senator Johnson of the L4 space colony stood up, his eyes wide with disbelief. Johnson had been the first to arrive of the space Senators, he was a young man with a fiery spirit, and showed a lot of promise. Jahkal liked the young man, and thought he would make a fine Senator. "First of all, the Virgo Mobile Dolls on the L2 colony haven't been moved in almost ninety years! The only research that's being conducted in outer space is the psionics research going on at the lunar base! And I know, without doubt, that they are not traitors!"

"Gentlemen, please! To order!" the Chancellor shouted helplessly.

"Of course not, Johnson! It's just that, a young and trusting man such as yourself can't possibly see the truth of things when all those around him are smiling like nothing's going on!" Vitto retorted haughtily.

"Why you-"

"SHUT UP!"

The room silenced, and all eyes turned to Jahkal, shocked by his outburst. "All of you, just shut the hell up! We have a crisis going on right now that's far more important than your bank accounts, your pride, or your personal vendettas against each other! Relena Peacecraft would be ashamed to see what the Senate has become! Now, if you'll all just get your heads out of your own asses before anything worse happens!" Jahkal, normally a quiet and polite man, had never before lost his temper, but something had been giving him the worst possible feeling about all this, that he was unable to just sit and keep silent.

"Thank you, Senator Jahkal." The Supreme Chancellor nodded at Jahkal with a wink of thanks. "Jahkal is right. This isn't something started by anyone of the colonies, but is something else entirely. Whatever it is, it was capable of silencing the Americas entirely, in an impossibly short period of time, and that makes this enemy extremely dangerous, and possibly very numerous. Gentlemen, we have to do something about this, now."

The sound of an explosion shook the compound, and the lights flickered until they went out completely. Some fell out of their chairs, others screamed aloud. The emergency power flickered to life, but the yellowish color was dim, at best. Jahkal heard someone shout out "What the hell just happened!". As if on cue, a soldier ran through the door, his eyes wide with fright.

"Chancellor! The city is under attack!"

"What, by who?" Malcolm pulled himself to his feet.

"Multiple Virgo units, sir! Our defenses can't hold them, and it seems as if this building is their target!"

Even as the soldier said those very words, the walls shook again, and soldiers entered through the main door. They shot the officer who had been informing the Senators, and sent a spray of bullets about the room, Jahkal ducked beneath the table, but he saw many of the other Senators fall to the lead onslaught, including the Supreme Chancellor. Others had been wounded, and Jahkal grit his teeth as the soldiers sealed off the door, the only escape. Silence fell, and Jahkal could hear the clicking of metal-toed boots down the hall. The soldiers parted, admitting a single man, Jahkal could not see him from under the table, but …

"Please, dear Senators. Do come out. You have absolutely no hope of escaping from here, after all. Why not face your deaths with a little more courage?"

Spitting out a curse, Jahkal rose from under the table, he wanted to see who owned that familiar voice.

"Ah, Senator Jahkal Winner. I thought that you'd survive that little hail. After all, you are the descendant of the great Quatre Rebarba Winner, are you not?"

Jahkal nearly froze. The man wore a uniform such as hadn't been seen in almost a century. Not only that, but the man himself … It was him!

"You? …" Jahkal managed to gasp. The man smirked, then Jahkal saw the gun in his hand, and he pulled the trigger …

Kahna awoke nearly screaming. He couldn't explain it, but he had suddenly felt a cold pierce through his heart, something that made him want to cry aloud in anguish. He sat in bed, sweating, breathing heavily, and eventually sighing out his fear. He sat in the darkness, silence echoing around him in oppression, but he didn't mind, he was focused only on the beating of his own heart.

The sound of someone running down the hall in heavy boots brought him out of his contemplations, and he looked up just as his door was swung fiercely open by an out-of-breath soldier, who nearly slammed it off its hinges.

"Master Kahna!" he gasped, "We're under attack!"

"What?"

It seemed that before a conscious thought had registered in Kahna's mind, he was dressed, and running to the central control tower. Already, he had issued orders for immediate evacuation of all civilians, and that all Mobile Suit troops should be assisting in the evac. Kahna sprinted up the stairs to the control tower's main room, sliding through the open door.

"What is the enemy's position? I want all the info we have, now!" he shouted, nearly out of breath.

"Master Kahna, the enemy seems to consist of Virgo Mobile Doll units, but they don't move like Mobile Dolls at all, they're too unpredictable! Not only that, but their heads have been reconfigured, which is probably what's preventing us from getting any readings of them on radar. They seem focused on controlling this section first, but most of our Mobile Suits have been moved to help with the evacuation, so we have very little defense."

"Alright, here's what I want you to do, listen carefully!" Kahna issued commands for the Mobile Doll units for the tests to be set on attack against the enemy forces, while all others escaped. They would leave, and head for the old dune base, out in the desert, Kahna just hoped that the sandstorm that was predicted to come up tonight hit this place fast enough to give them cover.

"Hah, who'd have thought that I'd be grateful for a sandstorm?" Kahna laughed half-heartedly to himself as he sprinted down the Mobile Suit docks. Most were empty, and the last ones were being taken, all except for one. The distance to the Sandrock II's hanger was farther than average, and closer to the fight than Kahna liked, but it was his best option right now. He had to defend those who were escaping, at all costs.

The Sandrock II loomed before him like destiny, even now, its armor caught the pale moonlight in a gleam of purity. The words of his father came ringing back into his mind, and Kahna found himself moved to tears.

"If I'm right, son, then you'll be needed here, more than at the Senate!" Kahna could see him shouting from on those stairs that had led into the jet, only now, they seemed more like they were stairs leading far away, farther than Kahna could reach in life.

"Father … is this what you meant? And, if so … what has happened to you … are you … FATHER!" Kahna collapsed to his knees, realizing the importance of his father's last words, even if his father had never known it himself. "Father, no! Why … why do you have … to die …". Weeping softly, Kahna stared helplessly at his hands. The sounds of battle continued outside, and Kahna still did not move.

Slowly, ever so slowly, his eyes turned upwards, to the remade Gundam before him. Kahna placed his feet beneath him, and stood.

"Alright then … Sandrock, you and I must do all we can … for our people … for my father."

"Any sign of Master Kahna?"

"No, sir."

Razul, the current commander of the Winner family defensive line, nearly broke his own fist as he punched out part of his MS's seat. "Damn! Well, let's keep up the defense here, we have to give the civilians time to escape."

"Yessir!"

Razul watched cautiously as the families of the city escaped to the underground shelters that had been built so long ago for surviving sandstorms, when this city was still so weak. Right now, it was all they could do for their protection. Turning his eyes to the East, Razul noticed how the horizon seemed to get darker, blocking out the stars. _That sandstorm is coming up fast, if we don't get everyone inside the underground shelter soon, or this battle will all be for nothing!_

"Commander! Virgo units are headed this way!" the voice of a soldier cried out over the communications frequency.

"What? Get everyone into the underground shelters, _now!_" Razul started firing his Mobile Suit's energy rifle into the smoke, hoping to God that they'd turn away, but there was no such luck. Already, he could see the remodeled, humanoid heads with the single antenna, pointing towards the heavens. They were close, too close. All too soon, they'd be upon them, and then, the people would be forced to close off the shelters, without letting the rest in. Looking down at the fleeing citizens, Razul noticed a mother carrying an infant, and her other child was running next to her, clinging to her skirt. Their eyes were tear-streaked. _I won't let that happen!_ He thought angrily.

The Virgo units were impossibly powerful, their energy never seemed to run out, and they didn't move like Mobile Dolls. Razul felt his tears spill down his cheeks, they seemed cool to the rest of his body at that moment. One of the Virgos sped towards him, its humanoid eyes glinting red, and Razul knew that his time to die had come …

A red line appeared across the torso of the Virgo unit, Razul suddenly thought that its pilot was suicidal, and intended to self-destruct, but taking himself with him. The Virgo exploded just before it reached Razul, however, and left him totally lost.

"What the- what just happened?"

"Sir!" the voices on the radio seemed to be sobbing in relief. Razul checked his Mobile Suit's screens, and to his far right, he saw what the soldiers were crying about. A white and black Mobile Suit, deadly twin shotels held in its hands, emerged from the smoke, the blades catching the moon and firelight, and gleaming a deadly crimson. For the first few moments, Razul thought he was seeing a ghost, and the deceased Quatre Rebarba Winner had returned from the dead with his Gundam, until he heard the voice of his young master crackle over the radio.

"Commander Razul, keep formation here!" Kahna's voice was steady, despite the situation, "I'll handle these Virgos, and I've seen to the rest of the shelter entrances. This is the last one, all the others are closed! We just have to hold out for a little longer!"

With that said, Kahna returned to his attack. The heat shotels glowed crimson, and Kahna hurled them with all that the Gundam could give, sending them tearing though the enemy ranks. He retrieved the weapons quickly enough, since they were the only real weapons he had. The twin vulcans and the machine gun had nothing more than paint rounds in them, and were totally useless in battle. He cut across to his left with one shotel, splitting two Virgos through their torsos clean enough to make the upper body slide off the legs without exploding. Just to make sure they were totally out of commission, he sliced down on each of their centers, severing them like a hot knife through butter.

"I … I'm sorry. If only you weren't fighting us …" Kahna had learned enough while fighting the enemy to know that they were piloted by humans, and not Mobile Doll units. He took a moment to beg the men he had just killed for forgiveness, even though he sincerely doubted that he'd ever even forgive himself.

"Master Kahna! Above you!" Kahna turned his eyes above his head just fast enough to see the Virgo unit descending. The Sandrock II tumbled over backwards, slicing across the Virgo's leg and severing it completely, causing it to crash, with an unsuccessful attack.

"Master Kahna!"

"It's alright, Razul, I'm fine. Just a little bruised- huh?" Kahna felt the wind pick up, and the sound of sand grating across his mobile suit alerted him to the beginnings of the sandstorm. "Get everyone into the underground shelter, now! All Mobile Suit units, retreat! Let's get outta here, before we're buried!" Kahna picked himself up, and was about to leave, when his eyes fell upon the downed Virgo next to him. It wasn't moving, he figured its pilot must be unconscious. Kahna was enraged at the attack on his people, but he was not cruel. Having the Sandrock II pick up the damaged Virgo, he fled with all speed to the Mobile Suit escape entrance for the underground shelter, the giant entrance closing behind him.

"Are you certain that it was wise to do that, Master Kahna? Bringing in one of the enemy's troops?"

"I'm certain, Razul. They may have attacked us, but we are not monsters. I won't just let someone sit out a sandstorm in a damaged Mobile Suit. Besides that, we just might learn something about our enemies from this pilot." Kahna walked among the catwalks of the Mobile Suit docks next to Razul, to where his soldiers were getting the enemy Mobile Suit pilot out of his Virgo. A group of people had accumulated around the Virgo, and Kahna had to wade through them to see what was going on.

"How is he?" Kahna asked, finally close enough to see the pilot for himself.

"Master Kahna, I think you should see this." A Mobile Suit engineer said somberly. Kahna pulled himself up into the open cockpit, and his shock nearly made him fall back off.

"Is … is he comatose?"

"I don't know what he is, but he doesn't seem to register a single thing." The engineer waved a hand in front of the pilot's open eyes, but there was no effect. "See?"

"I don't understand, what is this?"

"That's not all, take a look at this control system." Moving in closer, the engineer pointed out how the system amplified the pilot's ability by instantly inputting information, directly into his brain, while also maintaining his emotions and personality in a totally different area. "It's just like the Sub-ZERO system that was developed after the five original Gundams had been destroyed. That was nearly eighty years ago. The only problem is, this pilot doesn't seem to have a personality to maintain. He's like a machine, he sits and waits until information is input into his mind, and they he follows its course. It's like his entire mind was wiped away."

"My God …" Kahna almost didn't believe it. How could the enemy use such a horrible method to fight? "Gather all the information you can from this system. I want the pilot taken down to medical, let's just see if we can't bring him out of the state he's in …"

All attempts to bring the pilot out of his catatonic state had failed. The engineer had been right, it was like his mind had been wiped clean, leaving only a slight remnance of the personality in the subconscious. The medics and the engineers had gotten together, and had discussed the situation and control design. From what they had been able to figure out, the parts left in the subconscious left enough of the pilot for him to make random movements in a battle, that were totally unpredictable, a trait Mobile Dolls had never possessed. However, the only way known to clean out someone's mind like the enemy was doing was through psionics, which was a dangerous study in itself.

Psionic research had begun on the lunar base, almost seventy years ago. All of mankind had been placed into psionic generations, classifying their mental strengths and capabilities. Kahna himself had turned out to be a second-generation psionic, to the surprise of many. However, true psionic power didn't start showing up until the fifth generation psionics, which were rare enough. Power increased with each generation, and the highest recorded was that of eighth generation psionics. Kahna had heard that there was a ninth generation psionic, currently under study, but he guessed that it was probably only a rumor.

"So, our enemies are using psionics to control their pilots?" Kahna speculated, "Does that mean that our enemies could be from the lunar base?"

"I doubt that very much, Master Kahna." Commander Razul interjected his thoughts smoothly, resting his chin between his forefinger and thumb. "The lunar base has been trying to make contact with us for the past thirty-six hours, and no one has responded for fear that they _are_ traitors, or fear of discovery."

"So, what is it, then?'

"I believe- " one of the officers added, "That the lunar base has a leak, somewhere in its defenses. Someone has been stealing their secrets, and using them for military purposes. Otherwise, the lunar base would've cut itself off from us long before, and by now, the space colonies would be in full revolt."

Kahna looked down at his clasped hands, not certain what their next move should be. The sandstorm had been going on for nearly sixteen hours, but it would die down, soon enough. When it did, they would be forced to flee. Kahna and his father's advisors had decided that it would be best if they went to the old Maganac Corps base, out in the desert. While it would be a difficult trek, carriers would be taking the civilians and some Mobile Suit troops there first thing, in order to reestablish the place, and fix it up. Not only that, but Kahna had once heard his father say that it may still be full of old Maganac and Oliphant Mobile Suits, that he and his men could use.

"Well, men …" Kahna began slowly, raising his eyes, and making visual contact with each and every one of them before continuing. "It appears that the Maganac Corps are to be reinstated, after nearly a century of laying dormant."

Kahna gauged the reactions of everyone before he continued. Some lowered their heads to ponder his words, while others steeled their gaze in determination, and the desire for vengeance. _Forgive me, father, and great-grandfather._ Kahna thought to himself, _It seems that, after so many years, our family must once again fight to achieve peace._

"Alright, here's what I want done." Kahna commanded in a strong voice, "Someone contact the lunar base on as safe a channel as possible. Inform them of all we've learned, and our beliefs about there being a leak up there. Have the civilians and the designated Mobile Suit troops get on board the carriers, and have them take off as soon as the storm passes. As for the rest of us, we'll all get in our Mobile Suits, and leave as soon as we're all ready."

"In the middle of a sandstorm, Master Kahna?"

"Yes, I know for a fact that the enemy will attack as soon as the storm passes. We have to try to be gone before that happens. Now, let's do this quickly! This storm won't last much longer!"

"… So, that's the situation, is it?"

"Yes. We down here are preparing to leave as we speak."

"Alright then, I understand." Professor Tetsuo Kazama, one of the scientists involved in the psionics research going on at the lunar base, had been the one at the communications post when the Maganac Corps had contacted them. He took up the message, and made sure to record everything that had been said, after all, a lot had just happened on earth. From what he could tell, it was a dark situation. Other military pockets of resistance had contacted them with similar news. Apparently, this attack was worldwide, and had been nearly won in a very short amount of time. Tetsuo closed his eyes, considering the depths of the importance of all of this, then returned his attention to the communications with the Maganac Corps.

"Well, I won't hold you any longer. You should get out of there, as soon as possible. Tell young Master Winner that he is doing admirably, and his great-grandfather would be proud of him."

"Right. Maganac Corps, out."

The communications ended, and Tetsuo tapped a few keys, putting the recording onto a disk. Snapping it up with agile fingers, he walked to the room where a meeting of all the scientists was being conducted. As soon as he saw the double sliding doors, Tetsuo knew that he would be late. He felt guilty, but he knew that he'd have to tell his daughter the real reason he was so late, tonight. This was far too important.

The doors slid open with a hiss, but only a few men and women noticed his entrance. He noticed that, standing on the far left, were a few men in what appeared to rough military uniforms. One of them he recognized as Jacob Windsor, a Mobile Suit engineer, with some rather brilliant ideas for improving them. Remaining silent on the side, Tetsuo folded his arms across his chest, and listened.

"So, it appears that we have a leak in our studies, somewhere."

"Yes, it appears that way." Doctor Crow, currently the leading scientist in the psionics field, spoke with an agitated tone of voice. Doctor Crow was an old man with a bushy beard and eyebrows, but his appearance was deceiving, because he was actually brilliant, and quite cunning. "Not only that, but someone has taken the old Sub-ZERO system from the hands of its defenders at the space colonies, and is currently utilizing it against the people of earth. Now, we as Lunarians, shouldn't feel any responsibility towards the people of earth, but we do owe them quite a bit, and earth is our mother planet."

"I propose that we use our knowledge to help them!"

"If you had been listening to me, Doctor Weir, you would've learned that I had just said that. Professor Kazama?"

"Doctor?" Tetsuo stepped forward, his moustache bristling like it usually did when he was nervous.

"Will you please inform us of what has happened on earth, with the last communications we received?"

"Yes, well, it was from Arabia. As it turns out, the descendent of Quatre Raberba Winner has reinstated the Maganac Corps, and is now fleeing to the old desert base."

"The descendant of Quatre? You mean Senator Jahkal? I thought he had died in the attack at Moscow?"

"No, not Jahkal, his son. Kahna Ramsus Winner."

"Ah, yes." Crow put in, almost in amusement, "The boy everyone believes to be the reincarnation of Quatre. Well then, it appears that things are truly dire on earth indeed."

Tetsuo thought that Crow was acting a bit light-hearted under the current situation, but then again, Crow had always been a bit odd.

"It seems that Relena Peacecraft's dream of total pacifism did not last as long as she hoped." Crow mused, "Perhaps it is time that we called her knights back to arms, hmm?"

A few people were confused, even Tetsuo wasn't certain what Crow had in mind.

"Mister Windsor." Crow said, almost mischievously. "Will you please show us what it is you have designed? Show us … these new Gundams."

_Lunar base, two years later …_

"I just do not believe this …"

Caderly was new to the military research program, and for his first two weeks on the job, he had wondered why he had endured all the torture to work here. The physical tests, the inquiries about his personal life, even enduring a psionic scan which, he had found, was the equivalent of being mentally raped. That was, until, he had been assigned to Mobile Suit observations, and he saw just what it was that he was observing.

There were three of them, each just as soul-shudderingly inspiring as the last. One of them, he noticed, looked suspiciously like the original Wing-ZERO that had been piloted by the legendary Heero Yuy, almost one hundred years earlier.

"I wonder if it can transform into a fighter?" Caderly blinked in succession as he gaped at each one. For the first time, he got an uncomfortable feeling about how large-scale this war really was.

"Hey, soldier!" Caderly near fell out of his chair as his assigned partner for observations silently entered, and proceeded to scare the wits out of him. Picking himself up off the floor, Caderly glared at Higgins.

"Now why'd you go and do that, huh?"

"Well, you seemed so absorbed by the monitors, I guess I just couldn't help but scare the hell out of you. What're you lookin' at, anyways?" Higgins sipped his coffee as he checked the monitors, then his expression turned bored. "Oh, the Gundams. Yeah, I suppose that they're pretty impressive, unless you've been watching them build them for the last year and a half."

"Higgins, you mean that those are actual Gundams? Not just new-style Mobile Suits?"

"What? Of course they are! How could you think anything else, especially when lookin' at the Neo Wing Gundam ZERO, huh?"

"Do you know anything about them?"

"Are you kidding?" Higgins said in a bored tone of voice, kicking up his heels onto the control panel. "I can tell you all the specifics you want, even the names and personalities of the pilots!"

"So, do it!"

"Wha'- Oh, fine!" Higgins swung his feet back down onto the floor. Typing in a few brief commands, he brought the first Gundam up onto the large monitor. "Drum roll please."

Caderly beat his hands onto his thighs in an imitation drum roll for Higgins, who began in a nonchalant tone of voice. "First off, we have the Gundam Seraph, as you can see, it's something of a combination of the Gundam Deathscythe HELL and Gundam Heavyarms. It has those protective "wings" as a kind of armor coat, just as the Deathscythe did, but it also has a big gun for a left arm, as did the Heavyarms. For this baby, as opposed to having a giant gattling gun, the weapon is an enhanced beam cannon, that uses the MS's own reactor as its power source, so it doesn't need to be recharged or anything like that. In addition, it also has two vulcans mounted up in the neck area, and forty of the new-style micro homing missiles. As opposed to a beam saber, it has two Gundaniam blades, located on the "wings". They look something like two giant primary feathers, but they're actually giant scimitars. Finally, the Seraph can defend itself by means of its miniature beam shield."

The Seraph looked remarkable similar to the Deathscythe HELL, but its color scheme was different, it was mostly white and black. Its armor coat looked every bit like the Deathscythe HELL's, with the exception of those two Gundaniam scimitars that looked like primary feathers. With its wings folded around it while dormant, the Seraph looked a little more like a vampire, especially with the red coloration of the eyes on the head.

"Huh, maybe they shoulda named it Dracula, eh'?" Caderly got a good laugh out of Higgins for that joke.

"Okay, next!" tapping in a few more keys, the second Gundam came up on screen. This one was rather light of frame, indeed, it almost looked female. It primarily had a blue and white color scheme, with a lighter blue piece of armor under the dark blue parts, and the rest of it being white, with a bit of gray showing every now and again, mostly around the waist, knees, and elbows. This particular Gundam had four wings, Caderly noticed, two large blue and white ones above two smaller, solid blue ones. They reminded him of a dragonfly's wings, and made the Mobile Suit seem very sleek, and deadly.

"This next MS is named the Gundam Azure, not only for its color scheme, but for the blue light trail it leaves in its wake." Higgins continued easily, "Possibly the fastest Mobile Suit in history, the Azure is capable of achieving and maintaining up to nine G's, and that's just for starters. It most likely can go much faster, but with the situation we're in, the engineers haven't had a chance to clock its top speed. The Azure has five main thrusters aside from the regulars, four of which you can see, the four wings on its back, which are multi-posable. Because of the high speed it achieves, the Azure had to be lighter of frame, with a harder armor frame that was fitted more tightly together. Its armaments include the enhanced beam rifle you see, the two mounted vulcans on the head, and the plasma saber located on the right arm. As you may not know, this "plasma saber" is an enhanced version of the beam saber that is connected directly to the suit. You see the funny way the right arm guard is, with that slit opening above the wrist? That's where the plasma saber comes out, it has a flatter blade than a beam saber, and here's the best part! It can channel mega particles from the Mobile Suit's reactor to create a wave of blade-like, crescent energy that cuts through Mobile Suits like a sword through toilet paper! Oh yeah, and it has a beam shield, too. Next!"

Higgins brought up the last Gundam, and Caderly bit his lip.

"Allow me to introduce the Neo Wing Gundam ZERO. It follows a combination of the specs for the original Wing Gundam and the original Wing ZERO. It can transform into a bird-like fighter, follows a similar color scheme, and has almost the exact same weapons, only made with adjustments. The twin buster rifles have been enhanced, and the two beam sabers it has use technology similar to the first plasma saber design, and are not connected to the MS, only use it to recharge. They're just a lot stronger than the originals. It of course has the twin vulcans mounted on the neck area, and it has an actual Gundanium shield, as opposed to the beam shields that are wielded by the Azure and the Seraph. All in all, it's the strongest of the three. Unlike the Azure, which was made for long-distance battles, and the Seraph for close-range, it works just as good in either condition. They're all good in all types of terrain, but the Neo Wing ZERO is undoubtedly the strongest. Or, at least I'd like to think so, since it's my favorite."

Caderly swallowed hard, feeling a little insignificant. To think that they had created Gundams, the very lunar base he lived at! They were obviously stronger than the original five, but how much stronger? Not only that, but, was earth in that dire need of saving? For Gundams to be created once more?

"Who're the pilots?" he asked without thinking. Higgins just sighed, and brought up the files.

"The pilot of the Seraph, Rem Angelique. Age: eighteen. Gender: male. Nationality: unknown, possibly Greek. Family: none, orphaned. Skills: Mobile Suit engineering, Mobile Doll control, Sub-Zero handling, military tactics, espionage. Psionic generation: 3rd. Actually, he's a real anal kid. He doesn't say a thing, thinks himself superior to everyone, has a real twisted view on strength and the value of life, and to top it all off, he always gives me the creeps. Next, the Azure's pilot."

"Huh, she's cute." Caderly commented at the young woman's picture.

"Yeah, well she's also jail bait. Inori Kazama. Age: seventeen. Gender: female, as if that weren't obvious enough as it is. Nationality: Japanese/Lunarian. Family: father, Tetsuo Kazama, he's one of the scientists in the psionics field. Skills: espionage, computer science, Mobile Suit engineering, Jyu-jutsu style martial arts, psychological warfare, Sub-ZERO system handling. Psi. Gen.: 9th."

"Whoa. Who is this chick? And just _how_ is she ninth-generation? I thought the highest psionic generation was eighth."

"Yeah, well, Inori's something of a scientific miracle, she's been under study since birth, her powers as a psionic are definitely beyond eighth-generation. Actually, Inori's a cool kid. She's got an easy-going personality, she's funny, never takes things too seriously, you'll like her. Next.

"This is the pilot of the Neo Wing Gundam ZERO, Takeru Yuy."

"Whoa, whoa, hold everything!" Caderly stopped Higgins in his tracks. "Did you say Yuy?"

"Yep. This is the great-grandson of _the_ Heero Yuy, the "Perfect Soldier", so to speak. I guess that little attribute runs in the family."

"So, what? Is he related to Relena Peacecraft, too?"

"That, I'm afraid, is unknown. Check it out- Takeru Yuy. Age: eighteen. Gender: male. Nationality: Japanese. Family: unknown, blood relation to Heero Yuy. Skills: tactics, espionage, Mobile Suit engineering, ZERO system handling, super-human strength, intelligence, and just about anything else you can name. Oh, and here's the real dinger- Psi. Gen.: unknown. This kid's a walking enigma."

"Is … is he anything like the original Heero Yuy?"

"Well, that all depends. If he was an unemotional, callous, and soft-spoken killer, then, yes."

"Is he _really_ like that?"

"Hmph! That, and worse! It's like he has no regard for life at all! He doesn't speak to anyone, and he's deadlier than anyone I've ever seen, both in and out of a Mobile Suit. And, now they're giving him a Gundam! I just hope he doesn't _destroy_ the world as opposed to saving it, like he's supposed to."

Caderly considered Higgins as he killed the files, kicked up his heels once more, and sipped at his coffee leisurely. Shrugging helplessly, Caderly turned back to his post.

"So, when do they take off?"

"Two, maybe three weeks. The Gundams are being loaded into launch pods as we sit, so I guess it all just depends on when Doctor Crow says 'Get your asses outta here', y'know?"

"Yeah, I guess your right."

He was alone in the darkness, sitting with his hands clasped before his lips, elbows propped up on the arms of the chair. He preferred the silence, the feel of the lightless room, to the outside commotion of people and their complaints of endless strife, he had always seen them as frail, anyhow.

For those who knew him, Rem Angelique had always held an air of mystery, a dark shroud about himself, that he would let no one penetrate. Tall, lean, muscular, Rem cut a distinct figure in a crowd, with his shoulder-length black hair that fell over the right side of his face, and his black marble eyes with silvery cracks of gray. He was handsome, and mysterious, always dressing in black, speaking to no one. He might almost be intriguing, if not for the chill in his touch, and in his eyes. Rem was not what one would call a sociable man. He preferred to be alone, with his thoughts, it was when he worked best, when he was alone, under darkness. He could be gentle, but there was no warmth in his touch, people had always given him a wide birth, knowing him not to be one to cross or anger. Rem was dangerous, deadly.

The darkness of the room brought him down the paths of his memory, to the day he had decided his future. A young genius, a Mobile Suit pilot of impossible skill, who fought with a combination of cold and precise calculation and tactical brilliance, with better than average physical performance and intelligence, he was nearly unmatched by any. Nearly unmatched, that was, except for the other two Gundam pilots.

Rem had never met them, he wasn't allowed to. All he had ever seen were the other two Gundams, the Azure and Neo Wing ZERO, and then, he had only seen them on a view screen. Each time he saw them, saw the light glisten off the armor of the Seraph, he wondered "_Are they capable? Are they worthy of their Gundams?_", but he had no way of knowing.

Rem was a man who believed that life was a battle. In order to survive, you had to fight for every step, every inch of ground you covered. Only the strong would come out in the end, and at that point, the strong must make a choice. Rem thrived on the battlefield, every moment he spent in a Mobile Suit was sheer adrenaline. He was so intense, so insanely reckless, that he had earned the name of "Invisible Devil", for his stealth tactics and deadly skill. Soon, he would be showing his skill to earth, as well.

Breathing in the silence of the room, Rem calmed his fighting spirit, asking it to remain patient, for just a little longer. Soon, very soon.

"So, you're saying your going to be late tonight. Again."

"I'm sorry, honey, but we can't lode the Azure into a launch pod until we get the perfected psi-link installed."

"You mean," Inori corrected her father, "That you're not _letting_ them load it until you put it in, right?" Her father's image squirmed uncomfortably before her on the screen. "Am I right, dad?"

"Well … yeah, but! That's beside the point!"

Inori sighed in slight frustration. "Dad, I'm leaving in about two and a half weeks. I'd like to spend a _little_ time with you before I have to go save the world, y'know?"

"I'm sorry, hon." Her father apologized sincerely, "But I'm your father, and if my little girl's going to fight an army, I'd like for her to be safe, and prepared."

"You treating me like a kid again?"

"Oh, don't go starting up that again, Inori!"

"Well, excuse me, but I am seventeen." Inori held back a chuckle, "All right, if you're late, you're late. I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Bye, hon."

"Bye, dad."

The communications ended, leaving Inori with a dark monitor screen. Sighing helplessly to herself, she kicked her feet up onto the table, and clasped her hands together behind her head, leaning back. She started at the ceiling, her lips pursed.

"Why is it that my family's so damn dysfunctional, when we're so damn brilliant?" she asked the emptiness of the room, hardly expecting an answer. Shrugging to herself, she kicked her feet off the table, and back onto the floor, standing in a single, graceful motion. She zipped up her biker's jacket, sweeping up her onyx black helmet with one arm. She figured that now would be a good time for a ride on her bike to the park. After all, she always did most of her thinking there, anyway.

Inori had always been exceptional in just about everything. From the moment she was born, and declared to be the first ninth-generation psionic, a great burden of responsibility was placed on her shoulders, a burden of great power, and great intelligence. At the age of four, she was capable of piloting all the basic military Mobile Suits, and was placed in high school level classes. By age ten, she had finished her first master's degree in computer sciences, was working on her second, and was part of the elite Taurus Mobile Suit defense unit for the lunar base. After she had completed her second master's degree in Mobile Suit engineering, Inori started focusing more on living her life, instead of fighting for it. She learned how to cook, since her father couldn't do it to save his life, she started exploring things, and came to like video games and anime. She got involved in sports, and took up learning the Jyu-jutsu style of martial arts, until her fighting skills surpassed those of her master. All the while, she was kept on active status for the defense unit.

Almost two years ago, Inori had suddenly been called in by Doctor Crow, an old friend of the family, and the man who had studied and researched her psionic powers. She was shocked when he had asked her to become a Gundam pilot. When she first saw the Azure, she had known better than to be excited. Being a Gundam pilot was a huge responsibility, even more so than holding the psionic power she already had. Awed that Crow had considered _her_ to be good enough, and such a dedicated soldier to even consider making her a Gundam pilot, Inori accepted, and another weight was put onto her already burdened shoulders.

Through the years, Inori had developed into a lovely young woman, long black hair cascaded down to her waist, and her bangs fell over her left eye. Even though Japanese, Inori had been born with pale, icy blue eyes, as a result of her powerful psionics. Slender, lissome, and in better than average shape, she was an ideal specimen, a mirror image of her beautiful mother, who had died in childbirth.

Even so, many people found it hard to believe that she was a soldier, considering her easy-going and flirtatious personality. She especially loved to tease, but it was never enough to actually hurt someone's feelings. Her temper could range from gentle and nurturing to violent and aggressive, but in actuality, most of Inori's anger was feigned. Because of her powerful psionics, Inori had to keep her emotions in check, which had made her ideal for using the Sub-ZERO piloting system that had been installed into not only her Gundam Azure, but the Gundam Seraph and Neo Wing Gundam ZERO as well. Despite her personality, Inori was a true soldier, and more dedicated than many, and she liked to believe that was why she was chosen.

When she arrived at the park, it was pretty much empty, which was fine with her. Stopping at a hotdog vendor for a quick lunch, Inori lay in the grass with her thoughts. It wasn't long before she let herself fall asleep, her mind drifting through the corridors of her memory.

The silence of space. It surrounded him, surreal in its starlit beauty, enveloping him like a womb. He let his Taurus Mobile Suit drift in the silence, in the cold of space, forgetting everything. Up here, he had no need for memory, or for thought, there was only the calm of space, the eternal quiet …

The radio crackled to life, and a voice cut through his ethereal silence like a blade. "Taurus unit nine, what is your current status?"

Slowly, Takeru opened his eyes, savoring his peace for one moment longer, before responding. "Status nominal, no oncoming attackers visible." He scanned the expanse of space in his screens, but there was nothing. "I guess that they're regrouping somewhere." He whispered to himself.

"Roger. Return to base, you've been out there for almost sixteen hours straight. We'll send someone else to take over your post."

The radio cut off, and he was sent back into silence. He looked down at the controls, at his hands in the white flight suit designed for space. He sat for a few moments, not moving, just letting himself drift. It seemed like a lifetime, but his hands eventually gripped the controls, and he could hear the thrusters as they came to life. It was almost with reluctance that he returned to the docking bay, and to the locker rooms, where he changed out of his flight suit, and into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.

On his way out, Takeru suddenly took the left turn, as opposed to the right, which led to the exit. Instead, he walked along the hangers, until he came to a door marked "Top Secret". Entering without a second thought, he only paused after the doors had closed behind him. The room itself was dark, with only a dim light coming from the roof, shining like a single star. Its light poured down onto the frame of the Mobile Suit, illuminating just enough of it for him to make out its basic shape: the Neo Wing Gundam ZERO.

Doctor Crow had gone to great lengths to find Takeru, those two years ago, since he had once maintained connections with his great-grandfather, Heero Yuy. To this day, he wasn't certain why he had accepted the responsibility of the Neo Wing ZERO, but his current theory was that he had found no real purpose with his life the way it had been, or he was just bored. Takeru had inherited many things from his great-grandfather, his super-human strength, his intelligence and cunning, and in many ways, he looked much like Heero, from the pictures he had seen. Takeru was decently tall, lean yet muscular. His eyes were a chocolate brown, his hair somewhere between a light brown to a moss green, and cut short, so as not to annoy him. Doctor Crow told him that he had his great-grandfather's face, and Takeru guessed that he was probably right, but he didn't really care.

Takeru had never been what you'd call sociable. Looking only from one day to the next, focusing on what lay ahead of him, on what was more important than himself. If he had a job, he finished it, and he would eliminate any obstacles that were in his path. That was his style, it was who he was. If other people didn't like it, then that was just too bad for them.

When he had first arrived at the lunar base, he had been put under a series of tests, tests that evaluated his physical and mental capacity, that pushed him to his limits. He had been asked to undergo a psionic scan, a scan which Crow had conducted himself, since he had been one of the first eighth-generation psionics born. He imagined that the other two Gundam pilots had undergone similar tests before being selected. When they had first put him into a Mobile Suit, he made them all slack-jawed with his performance. He had annihilated more enemies in a record time than had been seen in decades, with barely any damage to his Taurus. Everyone started respecting him much more after that, and Doctor Crow had just smiled knowingly.

As he went over the Gundam, his Gundam, with his eyes, Takeru felt more and more like it was his fate to wield its power.

"Two weeks till you and I launch, Neo." He spoke softly to the Gundam, "I just hope you and I can live up to the reputations of our namesakes."

Doctor Crow had sent Tetsuo home around seven forty, so he could spend some time with his daughter. Having known Inori since her birth, he thought that the young girl deserved as much time with her father as she could get, before leaving for earth. After personally seeing the psi-link system installed into the Azure, and watching as the three Gundams were loaded into launch pods, he sent the rest of the engineers home as well. As he made his way to the control room, he pulled a small disc from his pocket, there was still one more thing he had left to do.

The disc held a private message, and emergency objectives, for the pilot he had selected, all just in case of any emergency situations. He hadn't any intention of making these objectives, when the Gundams were first built, and the pilots selected, but the threat of an information leak had remained prominent throughout the years.

Reaching the control panel, he slipped the disc into one of the slots, then remote activated the control system for one of the Gundams, and began downloading the information on the disc. It seemed that the moment had passed all too quickly, and now it was over, there was no undoing it. Although it had pained him, the prospect of traitors was too dangerous to ignore. He pulled the disc from the slot, and shut down the Gundam's system. With surprising strength, he shattered the disc in his hand, and tossed its remnants into a near-by garbage can.

Crow looked back as he stood in the doorway, taking a moment to look at all three Gundams in turn. His eyes rested on the one he had downloaded the emergency objectives into, and a smile came to his lips.

"Yes, you'll do fine, child."

The night shift of the lunar base defense regiment had finished its final watch, and all Mobile Suit pilots and control crew were ready to go home for some much needed sleep. Tauruses and space Leos docked and were powered up, ready for the day crew to take over, until their turn came, the next night. It was at this time, between watches, when the nighttime pilots were just changing out of their flight suits, and the daytime pilots changed into theirs, that the enemy attacked.

The first wave of the declared Virgo S units swept over the hull of the lunar base, hitting it with a wave of beam cannon attacks. The Virgos gathered about all Mobile Suit dock entrances, and would destroy any brave pilots that would turn around and head out to fight. If not for the base's defense cannons, the lunar base wouldn't have gotten out any Mobile Suits at all.

Doctor Crow had rushed to the control room, as soon as he heard, and it hadn't taken him long to figure out what it was they were after. "Tell the three Gundam pilots to get their asses here! We're launching immediately!"

As soon as he had felt the first shockwaves from the enemy attack, Rem was out the door. He had already arrived at the military facilities, and suited up, waiting only for the order to launch. Doctor Crow came through the sliding doors, and nodded approvingly at him.

"Get yourself into the Seraph, boy. You're taking off, right now!"

"What about the other two Gundam pilots?" Rem asked, his voice calm.

"I'll worry about them, you just get your ass into that damn Gundam!"

Inori shot out of bed when her emergency line started ringing off the hook. She didn't bother to answer it, he psionics told her the problem as soon as she was conscious, and she knew that Doctor Crow needed her, now. Pulling on a tank top and shorts over her nightly wear of a sports bra and underwear, and practically lacing her shoes telekinetically, Inori wrote a note to her father as fast as her hands could go. Taking up her helmet and leather jacket, she was out the door in a breath.

It was normally a fifteen-minute ride on her bike to the military facility. Revving up the engine loudly enough to wake up the rest of the neighborhood, it was pretty clear that Inori intended to make the ride in five minutes, or less. She took off down the street, her motorcycle screaming. She'd be damned if she was gonna let the enemy destroy her Gundam before she got a chance to use it against them!

Takeru had been at the base, as soon as the first wave had hit. Running through the corridors, passing pilots and soldiers along his way, he knew where he was headed. It was perhaps another fifty feet to the Taurus docking bay, and he would have to get in a flight suit before he could leave. Cutting across to the locker room, Takeru sped inside, dashing to his locker and pulling out the flight suit he had worn while in the Taurus, earlier. It took him a short amount of time to suit up, and with his helmet under his arm, he took off running for the docking bay.

About half-way there, he nearly toppled over Doctor Crow, as the old man squawked in alarm, and ruffled his wild hair and eyebrows, something that reminded Takeru of an irritated old raven in a striking manner.

"And just where-" Crow chided him, "Do you think _you're_ going, boy?"

"The Taurus docking bay, I thought that was obvious enough." Takeru replied flatly.

"Not this time, you're not!" Crow hobbled by, surprisingly fast for such a befuddled and cocky old man, "Follow me!"

Takeru watched Crow walk for a moment, then shrugged helplessly to himself, and followed. "Care to tell me what this is all about, old man?"

"Which 'this' do you mean?" Crow retorted, "The battle, or where we're going now?"

"Both."

"Hmph. The battle's about the Gundams, I'm afraid that our enemy knows about them."

"Huhn, even with all the security measures you've taken, we still have a leak somewhere in the base."

Crow growled at him, "We're heading this way, because I'm having you and the other two Gundam pilots launch, right now!"

"No real surprise here, Doctor Crow." Takeru finished flatly, letting silence fall between them. Taking a moment to glimpse of their surroundings, Takeru realized that they weren't launching in the military perimeter of the lunar base, but rather, from the psionic research labs. Those areas had a few emergency escape pods, designed specifically for carrying large numbers of civilians. Takeru guessed that some of those pods must have been replaced with the three Gundam launch pods. It was actually quite ingenious, the enemy was expecting Mobile Suit launches from only the military areas. While they no doubt would expect a daring launch of the Gundams, Takeru guessed that, since the psionic research labs were located in the civilian areas, the enemy forces would not be as strong as they would be anywhere else, giving the Gundams a chance to escape. Takeru smirked to himself about the old man's cunning. Doctor Crow may have been old, but he was undeniably brilliant. If anything, he deserved to be placed up next to Doctor J, and the other four engineers for the original Gundams.

"All right, get your helmet on, boy." Crow ordered, a bit nervously, Takeru noticed. "You may be launching now, but I'm not about to let up on security. You're not allowed to know the identities of the other two pilots, and the same thing goes for them." Takeru secured his helmet as Crow entered a code onto a small keypad. The door slid open with a hiss, and they walked inside. Somewhere within himself, Takeru felt the anticipation of battle.

Crow entered the room with the third and final Gundam pilot, who took his seat at the far right end. Crow proceeded to the center of the room, in front of one of the other pilots. The look on his face was grim, and he heaved a great sigh, seeming for all the world like an old owl or raven.

"All right, I don't think that pleasantries are needed here." Crow stated flatly, "You three were chosen because you're the best there is, and there isn't anyone who can match your skills. The time has come for you to go to earth, and fulfill your part of the bargain. You'll be launching in only a few minutes, so I want to make this as clear to you as I can." Crow turned around, facing the wall, and clasped his hands behind his back.

"The weight of the world now rests upon the shoulders of you three. I know that it's not an easy responsibility that we're giving you, being a symbol of hope and rebellion, fighting a horde of darkness for those who cannot … but you all accepted that responsibility, two years ago, so there is no backing out of this now! The fate of the colonies lies with you." Crow turned about, and looked sternly at each of them in turn.

"Now, go, Gundam pilots, and Godspeed."

The enemy military forces had subdued most of the lunar base's defenses, and only a few small pockets of resistance, groups of Taurus Mobile Suits trapped in a small but defensible area, were left. No sign of any further resistance was coming from the military, and the enemy had no reason to worry about the civilian sectors … or, so they thought.

Slowly, the doors for the civilian sector escape pods rolled open, letting in the vacuum of space. A few solitary Virgo S models, as the Virgo suits with reconfigured heads for stealth technology were called, went over to investigate, their near-mindless pilots acting like mere Mobile Dolls. Surrounding the edges, two to an opening, the Virgos were completely unprepared.

Two Mobile Suit launch pods blasted out into space, knocking back the Virgo units at the launch openings. They were followed by what appeared to be a space transport leaving the third and final opening, its wings slicing apart the two Virgo units with its sheer speed. Up and out into the stars, passed the Mobile Suit space carriers, away from the moon, and towards the blue gem of earth. Virgo S units tried vainly to catch up with and destroy the speeding crafts, but to no avail.

The Gundams had launched.

Within the lunar base, less than ten minutes after the escape of the Gundams in their launch pods, a transmission was sent out across the colonies, to both the ones in space, and on earth. Even to the three Gundam pilots, as they sped towards earth.

A man came onto the screen, his light brown hair neatly swept back, his smile feint, his eyes cold and shining with victory. He wore a uniform that had not been seen for almost a century, but was unmistakable.

"People of the colonies." his voice echoed forth, "My name is Sven Lazarus. I am the leader of the military force that conquered earth, and has now succeeded in conquering space. The lunar base is now in my hands. I am the man who has come forth, and cast aside the Colonial Senate, for I alone realized how weak and pathetic it had become! Hear me now, for I am not your enemy, but your savior! I have freed you from the bonds of the Senate's oppression! All I ask for in return is your loyalty and obedience! I should think that such is a very small price.

"I will make no attempts to assuage you, no attempts to stop you from hating me. However, if you find my justice inappropriate, than do not hesitate to come forth, and test my strengths!

"A true leader of the people must be strong! He must be willing to make sacrifices for the greater good! In order to do this, I revived the greatest and truest strength of our era! Queen Relena is dead, my fellow citizens! Her once-hallowed ideals now ring empty in our ears, and we once more require a leader of true strength! So! To lead and guide you all, I have resurrected that strength.

"People of the colonies, I wish for you all to celebrate, and witness the rebirth of our century's greatest accomplishment! The rebirth … of OZ!"

Many people say that history has a habit of repeating itself. Others say that it is man who repeats, because he does not learn from his mistakes. People tend to forget what it means to truly suffer, or to truly be free. In times of peace and complacency, man takes all he has for granted, while, in times of anguish, he mourns for what he has lost with a broken heart. Even so, after countless centuries, man is driven to fight. He has a thirst for battle, that is hard to assuage. He commits murder, and ruthless bloodshed, all in the name of peace. Perhaps, man has no desire for true peace, but then again…

The moon circles the earth, drawing the dangers of the lunar base away from the Gundams. Whether man desires peace, or whether he desires war, are not important now, not to them. All that matters is that they make it to earth, speeding towards the blue gem of space in man-made comets…

**Coming Next;**

The Gundams have landed on earth, and they begin their missions to take back earth's colonies from the new OZ. Lead by Sven Lazarus, a mysterious and powerful man, this new OZ proves to be a dangerous threat. With little regard for their own lives, the Gundam pilots fight to restore peace. Chance encounters with each other cause mixed emotions, and faith wavers on the border of insanity, as their Gundam Mobile Suits push them beyond any known bounds of mental restraint, and cross into the heart.

As tears fall while blood is spilled, Kahna meets the Gundams for the first time, and ponders if having them on earth is such a good idea. Takeru proves to be as reckless as his predecessor, while Inori delves headfirst into enemy grounds. Rem seems to have a hidden, personal agenda of his own, but is it for the Gundams, or something else?

Part II of GUNDAM WING; _After Era_: The Price of Trust.


End file.
